A guide for reading and understanding difficult New Testament verses Does Matthew 5:34 say that oath-taking is wrong? What does 1 Corinthians 10:23 mean by "everything is permissible"? Who were the angels that "abandoned their role" in Jude 6? What are the thousand years of Revelation 20:4? While the core message of the New Testament is clear, we often encounter puzzling, alarming, or confusing sections when we get into the details. In this second volume of Navigating Tough Texts, Murray J. Harris concisely considers more than eighty tricky passages in the New Testament. He shows how these texts offer insights with implications for theology, apologetics, mission, and the Christian life. Navigating Tough Texts, Volume 2 is a sure guide for pastors, students, and curious Christians who want to be better readers of the tough passages in the Bible.

While the core message of the New Testament is clear, there are often puzzling, alarming, or confusing things we encounter when we get into the details of the text. Murray J. Harris, veteran scholar and translator, is an ideal guide through these complicated passages. In Navigating Tough Texts, he clearly and concisely provides exegetical insights to over one hundred tricky New Testament verses that have implications for theology, apologetics, mission, and the Christian life.

A guide for reading and understanding difficult New Testament verses. While the core message of the New Testament is clear, there are often puzzling, alarming, or confusing things we encounter when we get into the details of the text. Murray J. Harris, veteran scholar and translator, is an ideal guide through these complicated passages. In Navigating Tough Texts, he clearly and concisely provides exegetical insights to over one hundred tricky New Testament verses that have implications for theology, apologetics, mission, and the Christian life. Navigating Tough Texts is an indispensable resource for pastors, students, and curious Christians who want to be better readers of the many important--and often confusing--New Testament passages.

A guide for reading and understanding difficult New Testament verses Does Matthew 5:34 say that oath-taking is wrong? What does 1 Corinthians 10:23 mean by "everything is permissible"? Who were the angels that "abandoned their role" in Jude 6? What are the thousand years of Revelation 20:4? While the core message of the New Testament is clear, we often encounter puzzling, alarming, or confusing sections when we get into the details. In this second volume of Navigating Tough Texts, Murray J. Harris concisely considers more than eighty tricky passages in the New Testament. He shows how these texts offer insights with implications for theology, apologetics, mission, and the Christian life. Navigating Tough Texts, Volume 2 is a sure guide for pastors, students, and curious Christians who want to be better readers of the tough passages in the Bible.

Tough Talk, Tough Texts is a catalyst for reminding all of us who work with young people about the danger of throwing away the lifeblood of our students' interior worlds and our own dreams of changing the world for the better.... Tough Talk, Tough Texts insists that we offer students books that are not simply larger, bulkier Hallmark cards but that instead challenge them to consider difficult issues, pushing them to think deeply and grow. Jimmy Santiago Baca Strategic reading, critical examination, and civil discourse aren't just for college preparedness-they are life skills. In Tough Talk, Tough Texts Cindy O'Donnell-Allen shares small-group instruction whose goal is to give kids the ability not merely to succeed academically, but to change their world. This isn't impractical idealism. Cindy shows step-by-step how to leverage challenging texts on challenging issues to maximize engagement and increase students' agency in reading and in life. Best of all, she shares all the know-how and nitty-gritty you'll need: scaffolds for whole-class and small-group discussions methods for grouping students, setting norms, and using response tools strategies that sustain independent discussions and document them multiple techniques for summative assessment reproducible resources such as handouts, assignment sheets, and scoring guides. Tough Talk, Tough Texts is about helping students grow as readers as they use texts to answer the big questions about themselves, their peers, and their world. "With careful preparation," writes Cindy O'Donnell-Allen, "students can learn to pose and discuss such questions, to listen and respond with empathy, and to implement strategies that will allow them to become more critical and strategic readers, writers, and thinkers."

John is at once the most complex and the easiest to understand of all the Gospels. If we want a young seeker or new believer to read something that is both clear and filled with the gospel and good basic theology, we give them the Gospel of John. And if we want to study an incredibly deep theological masterpiece that stretches the brightest mind, we open the Gospel of John. It is the most evangelistic account of Jesus' life and ministry, and it also gives the mature Christian deep theological truths to chew on. In John Verse by Verse, respected New Testament scholar Grant R. Osborne invites the reader to become caught up in the dramatic masterpiece of the Fourth Gospel. He writes, "If I were teaching a course in college or seminary on creative writing, John's Gospel would be set alongside Shakespeare as models of brilliant characterization and plot." It is perhaps Osborne's favorite book of the Bible, and enthusiasm for it shines on every page. The Osborne New Testament Commentaries, by respected professor and author Grant R. Osborne, are for people seeking a straightforward explanation of the text in its context, avoiding either oversimplification or technical complexity. Osborne brings out the riches of the New Testament, making each book accessible for pastors and all who consider themselves students of Scripture.

Discover good news for the Christian life Understand how Christ has defeated sin's power Identify the "wretch" in Romans 7 Is the Christian battle against sin a long defeat? In Conquerors, Not Captives, Joseph R. Dodson and Mattie Mae Motl challenge the popular view that Romans 7:14–25 describes the typical Christian battle against sin. The "wretched man" of Romans 7 seems unable to do what God's law demands and, for many Christians, his inner conflict and turmoil seem all too relatable. But are we impotent before sin and powerless to do good? When we reexamine Romans 7 in light of Paul's writings elsewhere and his interpreters throughout church history, we encounter better news. emConquerors, Not Captives is an accessible and thoughtful study that rebukes our gloomy expectations and invites us to take seriously the Bible's assurances that the Holy Spirit frees us from sin's power.

The truth about demons is far stranger—and even more fascinating—than what's commonly believed. Are demons real? Are they red creatures with goatees holding pitchforks and sitting on people's shoulders while whispering bad things? Did a third of the angels really rebel with Satan? Are demons and "principalities and powers" just terms for the same entities, or are they different members of the kingdom of darkness? Is the world a chaotic mess because of what happened in Eden, or is there more to the story of evil? What people believed about evil spiritual forces in ancient biblical times is often very different than what people have been led to believe about them today. And this ancient worldview is missing from most attempts to treat the topic. In Demons, Michael Heiser debunks popular presuppositions about the very real powers of darkness. Rather than traditions, stories, speculations, or myths, Demons is grounded in what ancient people of both the Old and New Testament eras believed about evil spiritual forces and in what the Bible actually says. You'll come away with a sound, biblical understanding of demons, supernatural rebellion, evil spirits, and spiritual warfare.

When we overlook Paul's letters to the Thessalonians, we miss out. Paul's letters to the church in Thessalonica are often considered two of the less important of his letters, but they were written to a very important city with very important issues. In addition to addressing the issue of Christ's return and the problem of people who refused to work, these letters model a truly loving relationship between a pastor and a congregation. In 1 & 2 Thessalonians Verse by Verse, respected New Testament scholar Grant R. Osborne shows us that in a world that centered on the divinity of the emperor and the demands to participate in the worship of the gods, the Thessalonians desperately needed to be given resources that would help them withstand the pressure to conform. These letters provide us with a thrilling example of affection among believers in extremely hard times and help us see how that affection can make severe trials bearable. The Osborne New Testament Commentaries, by respected professor and author Grant R. Osborne, are for people seeking a straightforward explanation of the text in its context, avoiding either oversimplification or technical complexity. Osborne brings out the riches of the New Testament, making each book accessible for pastors and all who consider themselves students of Scripture.

Discovering the New Testament is a new and comprehensive introduction to the New Testament in three volumes, reflecting current research and scholarship in New Testament studies. Each volume provides a thorough discussion of background issues as well as treating theological themes and practical application. In this third volume, Mark J. Keown surveys Hebrews, the General Epistles, and Revelation. In addition to covering introductory matters, Keown addresses key concerns for each book, such as the use of the Old Testament in Hebrews, James's view of justification, the relationship of 2 Peter and Jude, and Revelation's various interpretative approaches. Ideal for college or seminary students, Discovering the New Testament provides numerous maps and charts as well as discussion questions for each chapter and a focus on real--life relevance and application.